America, Love it or Leave it... a rant

In response to all the “pro American… everyone who doesn’t hate liberals should leave America” spam I am receiving…

I am an American; I was born here, as were my parents, their parents, and on back. Some of my ancestors came here on the Mayflower, others met it.

America is a democracy. That means majority rules. If you don’t like it go live somewhere else.

21% of Americans own guns. That’s it… 21%. Not a majority… so NRA… shut up and listen for a change. No one wants to “take away your guns”. Most of us do want limits set on automatic weapons and restrict gun ownership in regards to people convicted of violent crimes. I don’t think this makes us “liberal extremists”, I think it makes us smart Americans. If you don’t like it then go live somewhere else.

When I grew up every adult in the neighbor hood kept an eye on every child. If you behaved badly your friend’s mom would call your mom. We “got away” with nothing. We learned to be law abiding citizens. Most small towns are like this and most people who live in small towns are proud of it. In most small towns if a child needs something like school supplies and the parents can’t afford it people chip in and help. Yes… it does take a village to raise a child. If you don’t like it go live somewhere else.

Most Americans don’t reject the idea of global climate change because “carbon is a natural element”. They understand that the carbon in question was trapped for millions of years and that as we are releasing it we are changing the entire balance of our atmosphere. Nor do most Americans reject the thawing of the tundra (land that has been frozen for more that 10,000 years) because they “learned” the earth was only created 6,000 years ago in Sunday school. I would say if you don’t like it go live somewhere else… but with the “perma” part of permafrost no longer relevant it is probably to late… by the time children who are born today are adults the deep ocean currents will probably be gone. Don’t know what that means? Look it up… become an informed American!

Only five states have a majority of self identified Republicans now. Only 21% of Americans identify as Republiican. So if you’re bible thumping Palin supporter screaming about “real Americans” it’s time to understand real Americans come in all races, spiritual beliefs, and gender identity.

Most Americans are outraged that health insurance companies are reporting six month profits high enough to pay for a couple years of the proposed health care public option. If you’re one of them and wonder how this could happen look at the deregulation laws pushed through by the conservative administration over the last eight years. While you’re at it look into the deregulation of the banks. That worked out well… now didn’t it? So… if you’re libertarian who thinks government needs to deregulate everything (and cut the taxes of the rich while you’re at it) you’re either a member of the top 1% or a fool. Or maybe both because as the middle class dies so does our economy. The greater the difference between the wealthy and everyone else the less stable the economy becomes and the more likely we all loose.

The majority of Americans voted for a progressive congress and a democratic president. The majority of Americans understand that our economy was crashing and we were headed for an economic depression that would have made the 1930s look like the good old days. Most Americans realize if you do what you did you’ll get what you got… and doing nothing (what the republican administration did in 1929 and what the Republican Party advocated this time) would have gotten us now what it got us then. Most Americans realize that the debt we are going into is less than the debt we would have accumulated with 30% to 40% of the population collecting unemployment benefits and tax revenue dropping by more than half if the Obama administration hadn’t averted a depression. Most Americans understand it’s going to take more than a few months to fix what it took the former conservative administration eight years to break.

The majority of Americans want a comprehensive health care bill that includes a public option. Most Americans understand that the clause in the healthcare bill that mandates for counseling (if you desire it) for a living will doesn’t mean anyone wants to kill grandma. Do your loved ones know what you want if a devastating accident should happen? Most of the Americans who attend town hall meeting do so because they want information… not listen to a dozen or so imported protesters scream in an attempt to kill the bill because it would hurt the president. I think it’s a damned shame that some people are trying to kill a bill that is supported by most Americans for political gain.

So all you who have been telling me and those like me we should love America or leave it… I have always loved my country. That doesn’t mean I haven’t been ashamed of its government and/or some of my fellow citizens. I was ashamed when the government of my country lied to invade a sovereign nation and justified torture. I was ashamed when 63% of my fellow citizens climbed on the war wagon when they confused patriotism with nationalism. I am ashamed of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn Beck, and Lou Dobbs and their messages of hate wrapped in lies. And I am ashamed when some citizens threaten to kill others who disagree with their political views. I choose to work to change these things, to strive to make my country a better place. A place where education is a priority (currently the US ranges from 15 to 23 in all subjects among the 30 industrialized nations). A place where all people can receive medical care before their illness becomes life threatening (we currently rank at the bottom among all industrialized nations). If you don’t like that you can leave. The truth is there aren’t that many of you… you won’t be missed.

HA! Have fun with it. Truth is I would love to recieve something like this once in awhile... But I guess most "liberals" are to polite to spam...

I (of course) sent it to everyone who has spammed me the last few days. Normally I reply to each individual email point for point but to many this week. I doubt any of them will be happy when they read it and I'm sure none will forward it, LOL.

I used to get those forwarded emails a while back from a friend, most of them were jokes or something funny. Once I got a political email with, what I consider a lot of people on the CC list. Poor guy didn't learn how to spam right. So I took that emails apart, line by line, and proved that pretty much everything in that email was a lie or disinformation. I replied to all; there were more than 50 people in the CC list. I got back a reply apologizing for sending that to me. Since then all the emails stopped, I still know the guy and we talk, but no more emails, not even the funny ones. I guess I was put on the naughty list :)

I tried that one, and it didn't work for me. I'm glad it worked for you though...maybe it's a regional difference? I firmly believe that race plays a part in the anti-Obama sentiment down here in the deep south, even in some who deny it.

I'm in Atlanta. They say Atlanta is not in the south, is surrounded by it. I guess it depends on how you look at it.

EDIT: You lost me on this one Suzi :) A few posts down you said it worked "It began dwindling, and has mostly stopped." In either case, I don't remember exactly what it was about. It was political, but I know it wasn't about Obama.

How did you break them? Every time I think I have them convinced I don't want the crap in my inbox it starts all over again. It's sad, really... most of them (who are either family or consider themselves close friends) don't even understand I don't share their religious convictions. I think that's why I felt the need to post this here... where peopleactually listen to what I say and accept me for who I am. Thank you.

It was fairly simple. I finally just started clicking "reply to all", giving them a link from Snopes or FactCheck for the particular email. Arguing with them got me nowhere, but they couldn't argue opinion with a factual website. Whether they believed the website or not, I have no idea, but they couldn't talk back to it. ;-D It began dwindling, and has mostly stopped. The only thing I get now is a very occasional email from a friend who is on the fence now about Obama, and wants me to fact check it for him.

I think you know we love and accept you for who and what you are...which is a beautiful, caring person. One of the extra bonuses from RFO, to me, is the opportunity to get to know so many very special people.

I do that! I also copy all the information from the links I insert. I started that when I realized they weren't following the links. It stops for awhile... but then it's back. Oh well...Maybe this will catch thier attention.

To me, progressive means those that want progress in this country for all citizens. To move forward, like the bumper sticker says--voting is like driving--if you want to move forward choose D, if you want to move backward choose R.

I wrote this in anger and frustration in response to the spams I received over the last week that attacked “progressive liberals” (generally associating all Democratics as progressive liberals). I don’t really remember what I was thinking when I wrote that line… but it probably just sounded good in my head, LOL.

But to answer your question… to me “progressive” (as a political term) is probably best defined as the opposite of libertarian (if you generally define libertarian as anti regulation) with a dash of reformist added. And just as “libertarian” has a broad range so does “progressive” as a political term. As I see it progressives are more likely to see regulation of large organizations as a solution to problems.

There are several factual errors in it, not just generalizing democrats as progressive (I believe that Bushes popularity soared to 69% at beginning of the Iraq invasion and our education scores lowest at 28 out of 30). But considering I wrote it on the cuff in about 20 minutes I don’t think I did too bad. Nor do I feel too bad about these inaccuracies… it is far more accurate than the spams I have been receiving.

The inaccuracies are small....and if the people I've sent this missive to take the time to go through it point by point to refute them, they will be forced to learn a lot of facts along the way....so, IMO, your rant is a win/win situation for Truth, Justice, and the American Way. ;-D

My dear husband is ahead of you. He read it and asked me to send him a copy (it seemed fair as he forwards all his ultra right loony spam to me)… and he immediately forwarded it to everyone in his contact list (who are the ones who send him the loon spam)… I doubt any of them will forward it though, LOL… more likely it will straight to trash!

I don't think they will forward it either....but at least they will read it. lol

That is why it is up to us to send it to as many people as we can, including those who agree with us. They might just send it to their loon friends, and a couple of clear thinking people, and thus it spreads. I sent it to loons, moderates, and some true liberals.